


Padme Representing the Outer Rim

by WingletBlackbird



Series: Padme Meta [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Bail Organa - Freeform, Gen, Meta, Meta Essay, Mon Mothma - Freeform, Politics, Rebellion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:35:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28030251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WingletBlackbird/pseuds/WingletBlackbird
Summary: Why slotting Padme in with Bail Organa and Mon Mothma as part of the Core-World faction doesn't quite work, a reality which would have affected Padme politically, and the rebellion negatively after her death.
Series: Padme Meta [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2053152
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23





	Padme Representing the Outer Rim

You know, Padme was comparatively privileged, but I’ve yet to see anyone point out that her privilege and that of Bail Organa’s and Mon Mothma’s is rather different. Bail and Mon are Core-Worlders. Padme decidedly is not.

Padme is royalty and wealthy, and compared to the vast majority of the galaxy is rather well-off and has many opportunities before her. However, Naboo is in the Mid Rim, so far out into the Mid Rim in fact that it was called “The Jewel of the Outer Rim.” This means that politically Padme would have been relegated to the Outer Rim and Mid Rim factions who were considered “uncivilized.”

Padme, far more than Bail or Mon, knew how the Republic failed the Outer Rim. She was exposed to it in multiple ways during TPM. I think she hoped she could fix the system from within with Palpatine’s support, until she couldn’t deny she had been entirely let down. 

I think Padme’s status as being a Senator representing the Outer Rim is highly important, because, while we look at her and wealthy and privileged sirens go off in our heads, from the perspective of the Senate, she is new blood. She is not one of the old families. Even on Naboo, the Naberries as a royal house were considered to be a bit backwater. 

The fact that Padme is allied with Bail and Mon and others is likely due to four things (in no particular order.) 1) She made a splash as Queen Amidala and no one forgot her, 2) She is good at what she does and is passionate about it, 3) Palpatine was a good connection to have, 4) They have some common goals. Despite all that though, I am glad that at least TCW did point out that many people in the Senate looked down on her. I doubt it was solely due to her politics, and not her background.

After the Empire is established, I think we notice a divide between the Outer Rim, the former Separatist planets, and the Core-Worlders in the Rebellion. The latter want to restore the Republic. The former two want to take down the Empire, but hopefully build something way better. The old Republic didn’t do that much for them. Padme’s death, in my opinion, made this divide harder to bridge. I think Padme would have been a magnificent asset once the blinders of Palpatine came off, because she would be both willing to get her hands dirty, and would be able to bridge the gap between the Core-Worlders and the Outer Rim in a way that I’ve never seen anyone else in canon accomplish. 


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